Thank You Criminal Minds

CREDIT: To whoever created the picture of all characters together.
I just edited it to include the "Thank You". 

Let me bring you back to a day in 2011 or 2012:

It was a Saturday night. It was about 11:30 p.m. and I was looking for something to watch. I noticed that Numb3rs was going to be on at 12:30 a.m. on CBS and it's been awhile since I've seen an episode so I wanted to watch it but there was a show on before it that I never wanted to watch (there are legit reasons why but don't need to get into it). 

So what did I do? I searched and searched and continued to search for something else to watch for that hour. But guess what? There was nothing else on. Nothing! So...I thought "Well..Here goes nothing." And turned CBS back on to watch the show that was on. What was it? You guessed it.

Criminal Minds. 

Now - you're probably wondering what are those legit reasons for not watching? Well, the main one was when I was younger, I used to have nightmares after watching CSI so I stopped watching that and thought Criminal Minds was similar so I never gave it a chance. 

But that night I did. And I remember my mom's reaction. She was on the computer and turned around when she heard one of the character's voices. I'm pretty sure it was Gideon (Mandy Patinkin). Then, she looked at me in disbelief that I actually was watching it. I was like - there's nothing else on! And she went back to face the computer. 

Do I remember what episode it was? No. But it was either Season 1 or 2 since Gideon was still in it. I don't remember much else about that night EXCEPT when my mom mentioned to me that Gideon's no longer in the show. And I, of course, was curious as to why and she explained how one of his final episodes ended (with the gun in his hand). BAD MOVE to tell me that because of course, I wanted to see it. I'm a curious person and she knows it. 

So what did I do? I ended up watching it the next night at 11:30 p.m. only to find out they didn't do the episodes in order from Saturday to Sunday. No...they go in order on Saturdays and in order on Sundays. So I ended up watching it again the following weekend. I wanted to see that episode. I wanted to see that scene. But guess what happened?

I got hooked. 

I ended up starting watching the show on Ion. I got connected to the characters. Gideon especially! (Thanks Mom) Then, I realized one day - Mandy Patinkin was one of my favorite characters from Princess Bride so that just made it worse. I went on and on watching it but hasn't showed up yet. So again, what did I do? Went on YouTube to find it. 

I thought watching it would have ended my new obsession. Right? Since I only kept watching it to see that scene. Nope. I was wrong. I kept watching. Because I still loved the other characters and I finally watched the whole episode. Still watched on Saturday and Sunday, as well as Numb3rs (which I'm still mad at CBS for ending). 

Then...I decided "Well...now I'm going to have to catch up." I believe at the time, Criminal Minds was in the middle of Season 7. But I was new to the show and I didn't want to just pick up watching new episodes on CBS without watching previous seasons. So...I asked my mom to buy me the first seven seasons on DVD. I told you...I got hooked.

And she did! So we spent that whole summer (I believe 2012, I could be wrong) watching the DVDs. Ended up watching about 6-7 episodes a day. And one day, my dad decided to watch with us so all three of us watched every day the episodes. 

One thing about joining the fandom late, however, is already knowing some of the cliffhangers (for an example - I knew Emily was still alive due to commercials I saw while watching other CBS crime dramas). But I still loved those episodes. 

And by the time the new season was starting, we finished all seven seasons and ready to watch the new season as it was on. But of course, since I already had the first seven seasons on DVD - I still asked for the new season for Christmas every year just so I can have them as a collection.

I always go back to that one Saturday night where I couldn't find anything to watch with a smile because that night brought be Criminal Minds and I now honestly can't think about what the last eight years would've been like without watching the show or falling in love with all the characters (even the new ones that came and went). 

It might have been one scene that I really wanted to see that made me continue watching BUT it was the actors, characters, chemistry, and stories that kept me watching until the very end. 

I wanted to write this as a Thank You to the producers, writers, directors, cast, and crews for putting together this great show and for putting the characters together. The chemistry between the characters never broke, even when new characters were introduced. Did I like all of them? No. Did I appreciate all of them? Yes.  

The characters felt real with all the ups and downs they each had to go through (deaths, breakups, new job opportunities, families, love, and so much more). And the actors & actresses brought those characters to life. I will miss them. I will miss the story lines. I will miss the laughter. I will miss the anger. I will miss the sadness. Overall, I will miss the show. 

I wish it didn't have to end. But like everything else, everything has to come to an end eventually. And I think right now - is that time. I enjoyed the finale. I like that the characters are moving forward even though the show isn't. And even though it was sad, I kinda liked that Garcia's the one that's moving on as she was always the one that hated change. It showed growth for her character. 

But did you really have to burn the jet??? I get it. I do. It was time to move forward.

I have one Christmas left where I will get a new DVD and it will be bittersweet. That will be the last time I get a Criminal Minds season and I will cherish it. 

Thank you Criminal Minds for being a part of my life. I will continue watching reruns and remember the good times I had watching every Wednesday. 

Thank you JJ, Reid, Garcia, Prentiss, Rossi, Morgan, Hotchner, Lewis, Alvez, Simmons, Blake, Strauss, Callahan, Greenaway, Lynch (Kevin), Anderson, Will, Walker, Seaver, and Gideon (you're the reason I kept watching). 

Also thank you to all the villains especially Ian Doyle, Peter Lewis aka Scratch, George Foyet, Tobias Hankel, and Frank (I hate that diner because of you). 

And thank you to all the other guest stars over the 15 seasons. 

Without any of you, there wouldn't be a show.  

I will miss you.

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3 

Thank You to My Public School Teachers

Hey Everyone!

As you all may know, today Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education. There has been many who have been AGAINST the idea of her being the Secretary of Education, me being one of them. Why? Well there are many reasons why.

But the main one is the fact that she doesn't know that the Individual with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law. This post isn't about going on and on at how this decision is not the best decision to be made so please watch the video of Senator Cory Booker's speech on his DeVos Opposition who goes in great detail about students with disabilities.

So what is this post really about? Well you can look at the title. I am writing this to thank all my teachers that I've had while I was in public school from Kindergarten to Senior Year, as well as my college professors.

I have spoken highly of the Township of Union's Board of Education many times. From the very start of my education, I have been included and treated with the same respect as my classmates.

When I raised my hand, I was picked on. When I wanted to take part in gym classes, I did. When my teachers needed to accommodate the classroom in anyway where I can take part, they did. When I had questions about what we were learning, they helped.

For so many years, I knew I was lucky to have grown up in this town but when I got older - I realized just how lucky I was as I heard many students with disabilities don't have the same opportunities in their school district as I did.



To My Teachers,

Thank you. Thank you for always including me in discussions. Thank you for moving desks around to make sure that I can get around the classrooms. Thank you for always picking on me when I raised my hand. Thank you for allowing me to speak in front of the class for speech assignments.

Thank you for letting me lead the class in the hallways (back in elementary school, we walked on the line to go to the next class). Thank you for listening to me when I needed help. Thank you for respecting me as you would any other student.

Thank you for teaching me English, Math, Science, History, Business, Music, different languages, Journalism, and so many more subjects.

Thank you to my gym teachers who always pushed me in gym class. Thank you to my case managers who were always there for me if I needed any new accommodations or needed something changed. Thank you to my guidance counselors for helping me make decisions about my classes and next step in my education.

Thank you to all my classroom assistants who were there for me when I needed help with moving chairs, taking my backpack off the back of the chair, going through the hallways, and so much more. Thank you to all the nurses who helped me when I was sick, needed to take my medications at lunch time, and so much more.

Thank you to my transition coordinator who pushed me to open myself to speak in front of over 200 people. Thank you to all the security guards for making me laugh and for protecting our schools. Thank you for all substitute teachers who filled in for my one-on-ones & our teachers.

Thank you to all the principals who were there if I needed you and to make sure that all students were getting the same respect from our teachers. Thank you to my bus drivers & aides for getting me from home to school and school to home safe & sound.

This is only some of my thank you's to all of you. You all have done so much for me over the years and I wouldn't be the same if I didn't have you all as my support system in school.

No matter what happens in the public education with this new change, just know that you have touched many lives and you will continue to touch more lives.

                                                               Caitlin


I would love for every student with a disability to have the same experience as I did. Now all we have to do is wait and see what happens with the new Secretary of Education.

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3